Well pump



June 6, v1939. E, T. ADAMS WELL PUMP Filed-OCT.. ll, 1957v Patented June 6, 1939 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMP Application October 11, 1937, Serial No. 168,428

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a well pump and relates more particularly to a pump for use in a deep Well such as an oil well. A general object of this invention is to provide an improved well pumpthat is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, that Jis eflicient in operation, and that is economical to operate and keep in repair.

A class of well pumps that has gone into extensive use, particularly where considerable l amounts of sand are encountered in the liquid,

is the loose fitted pump. Pumps of the loose fitted type are usually formed of thin walled tubing which is seldom truly round and which is usually crooked and these defects make it necessary to have a looset between the barrel and the plunger and the loose t necessitates the employment of a plunger of vgreat length. While the loose tted type of well pump will pass a substantial amount of sand without sticking, it is very inef- 20"cient due to the excessive tolerances made necessary by the character of the thin walled tubing employed in its construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide v a well pump of the loose-fitted type in which the 25 tolerances or clearances are much less than in the typical loose iitted pump whereby a much higher eiiiciency is obtained.

It is often the practice to employ a well pump ,oi' as large diameter as possible, leaving a very L small annular space between the pump barrel and the well tubing. This space becomes choked with sandr and silt. When a loose fitted pump is employed in such a situation the slip or leakage past the plunger is drawn from the silt and sand d charged annular space and the solid matter thus drawn into the clearance space causes excessive wear. Further, when the annular space becomes filled .with sand and silt and a traveling barrel type loose movement is retardedor stopped reducingthe output. Another object of this invention is to provide a well pump of the loose tted type that overcomes these defects of the prior loose fitted pumps. The pump of the present invention embodies a standing barrel and a top lock for the barrel so that theannular space between the traveling barrel and the well tubing is eliminated. 50k Another object of this invention is to provide a well pump of the character mentioned in which there are two vertically spaced pairs or sets of cooperating sealing surfaces on the barrel and plunger, the lower set of sealing surfaces being 55 ,smaller in Vdiameter than thekupper set of surtted pump is employed the barrel (Cl. S-179) ship of parts in the pump of the present inven- 5 tion may be enumerated as follows:

First: The pump has double pumping action, operating to discharge fluid on the down stroke of the plunger as well as on the up stroke, providing a substantially constant upiiow of fiuid at the upper end of the barrel to prevent the accumulation of sand and silt that might otherwise be drawn between the barrel and plunger.

Second: The leakage between the upper set of sealing surfaces of the barrel and plunger is received in the said annular space whose contents are completely displaced at each down stroke of the plunger, thus producing a washing eiect and preventing the undesirable solid matter in such leakage iiuid from reaching the second set of sealing surfaces.

Third: The employment of the two spaced sets of sealing surfaces permits the construction of both the barrel and plunger of relatively short sections which are straighter and more truly round than long sections of tubing and the means coupling the said short sections lend rigidity or stiffness to the pump elements. These two advantages permit a marked reduction in the tolerances and permit the replacement of any one of the sections of either the barrel or the plunger when it becomes worn without disturbing the other parts of the pump.

Fourth: The improved pump construction of the invention permits increased plunger thickness at the top seal increasing the rigidity of the plunger assembly whereby it Will ,remain truly round and permitting the employment of a hard abrasion resisting material at this point.

Fifth: The pump of the present invention may be eiiiciently operated in a crooked hole or well bore due to its reduced length and reduced diameter.

The various objects and rfeatures of my inventon will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical 'preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinaldetailed sectional view of the'improved pump provided by this invention arranged in operating position in `a well tubing and illustrating the plunger in elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal de- 55'? tailed sectional View of the upper portion of the pump. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal detailed sectional view of the lower portion of the pump and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the pump.

The improved well pump of the present invention may be said to include generally, a barrel I S of two effective diameters carrying a foot or standing valve II, and a tubular plunger I2 of two diameters carrying two working valves I3 and I4 and operating in the barrel I5, the barrel IE and plunger I2 being formed and related to provide two vertically spaced sealing zones A and B and an annular fluid space or chamber C between the two sealing zones A and B.

The pump barrel III isVV an elongate tubular structure or assembly and is the stationary element of the pump. The barrel I Il is intended to be secured or anchored to a well tubing T. It is preferred to anchor or lock the upper end of the barrel IB to the tubing T with what is known as a top lock. However, the barrel may be secured at its lower end to the tubing T by a suitable anchor. The barrel Il] includes an elongate tubular upper section I5 and an elongate tubular lower section Iii.I The sections I5 and I6 may be of substantially the same length and may both be formed of suitable tubing.V In accordance with the invention the lower barrel section I6 is of less diameter than the upper section I5. The adjacent ends of the barrel sections I5 and I6 are detachably connected in concentric relation by a suitable coupling or adapter I1. The sections I5 and I6 are threaded to the adapter I1 and the internal diameter of the adapter I1 may be the same as, or slightly greater than, the internal diameter of the lower section I6. In the preferred arrangement illustrated in the drawing the internal member or mandrel I3 of a suitable top lock is threaded into the upper end of the upper barrel section I5. The mandrel I8 is seated in or removably locked in a shoe i9 interposed in the tubing T to removably suspend the barrel IG in the tubing. It will be observed that the lower end of the mandrel I8 forms a downwardly facing shoulder 2U at the upper end of the barrel III.

The foot valve or standing valve II is provided at the lower end of the barrel IU to control the fiuid ow through the barrel. The valve II may be of any suitable type and construction. In the case illustrated the valve II is a typical ball type valve including a tubular cage 2 I threaded in the lower end of the barrel section Iii. The cage 2| carriesa removable upwardly facingV valve seat 22. A ball 23 is retained in the cage 2| and is adapted to seal downwardly against theseat 22 to closeV the lower end of the barrel I Il.

It is to be noted that the barrel II) is a simple, inexpensive structure comprising, primarily, two connected lengths or sections I5 and IE of tubing. The sections I5 and I5 each being approximately one half the length of the barrel I0 are not excessively long and, therefore, may be formed of tubing stock'that is straighter and more truly round than long tubing stock. The adapter I1 connecting the two barrel sections I5 and I 6 midway between the ends of the barrel lends rigidity or stiiness to the barrel construction.

The plunger I2 is the moving or reciprocating element of the pumpr and operates in the stationary barrel I0. The plunger I2 is an elongate tubular assembly and is adapted to be operated by a reciprocable sucker rod R. It may be assumed that the rod R extends to the ground surface and that it is operated by a walking beam, crank or other form of pump jack. In the preferred construction the plunger I2 is formed of two tubular sections, namely, an upper section 2li and a lower section 25. The adjacent ends of the plunger sections 24 andA 25 are connected by a suitable coupling or adapter 26. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing the adapter 26 is threaded into the opposing ends of the sections 2@ and 25. In accordance with the invention the upper plunger section 24 is in sealing relation to the interior of the upper section I5 of the barrel I to form or provide the above mentioned sealing zone A and the lower plunger section 25 is in sealing relation to the interior of the lower barrel section I6 to provide the above mentioned sealing zone B. Because of this relationship of parts the upper section 24 or the upper portion of the barrel I2 is of larger outside effective diameter than the lower section or portion of the plunger.

In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention the upper plunger section 24 may be proportioned to have a loose sealing fit in the upper barrel section I5 or may be provided with any suitable form of sealing or packing means for cooperating withV the interior of the barrel section I5. In the construction illustrated in the drawing a plurality of sealing rings 21 of hard metal or the like is provided on the upper section 2Q to effecta sliding seal with the interior of the barrel section I5. The rings 21 are provided with annular external liquid trapping grooves 28. The rings 21 preferably have only slight clearance or tolerance with the internal surface of the barrel section I 5. When the upper section 24 of the plunger I2 is provided with the rings 21, as just described, it may be formed of tubing of substantially the same diameter as the tubing of the lower section 25. A pin section or connecting member 3B is threaded on the upper end of the plunger section 24 to connect the valve IA with the plunger I2 as will be subsequently described. The upper end of the uppermost ring 21 may engage against the lower end of the member 3U. A retaining nut 3l is threaded on the lower portion of the section 24 and engages upwardly against the lower end of the lowermost ring 21 to clamp the superimposed rings 21 together in place on the plunger. A lock nut 32 may be threaded on the section 24 to engage against and lock the nut 3| in place.

It is toV be observed that the sealing rings 21 materiallyincrease the wall thickness of the upper portion of the plunger I2 and materially add Vto the stiffness or rigidity of the plunger. Owing to the fact that the rings 21 may have only very slight clearance with the internal surface of the barrel section I5 the sealing zone A and, therefore, the upper section 24 may be much shorter than if a loose fitted plunger tube section is depended upon to eiieot the necessary seal at the zone A. Thus the employment of the sealing rings 21 or their equivalent permits the employment 'of a shorter barrel and plunger. The hard sealing rings 21 relatively closely fitted in the barrel section I5 materially lessen the slip or leakage of iiuid through the sealing zone A to increase the efficiency of the pump and the sealing rings 21 may operate as grinders to reduce the size of any sand particles or metal particles that may settle from the liquid in the tubing T and enter between the barrel I0 and the plunger I2.

The lower section 25 of the plunger ,I2 is preferably a simple length of tubing shiftably fitting in the lower section I6 of the barrel I0 whereby the sliding cooperation between the ,barrel section I6 and the plunger section 25 provide the lower sealing zone B. The plunger section 25 may be of substantial length to have a long or extensive sealing cooperation with the interior of the lower barrel section I6. However, the section 25'is not of excessive length and the opposing surfaces 'of the barrel section I6 and the plunger section 25 may have only slight suitable tolerance or clearance to be effective in providing a dependable seal. It is to be observed that the external diameter of the lower plunger section 25 is considerably smaller than the external diameter of the sealing rings 21' on the upper section 24. Thus ther plunger I2 has two effective outside diameters. l

The two diameter construction of both the barrel I0 and the plunger I2, whereby there are two vertically spaced sealing zones A and B, provides the annular uid space or chamber C between the two sealing zones. The chamber C is defined by the upper section I5 of the barrel I0, the lower section I6 of the plunger I2 and the two vertically spaced sealing zones A and B. Considered in another light the chamber C is defined by the spaced telescoped sections I5 and 25, the upper end of the lower barrel section I6 and the lower end of the lock nut 32 or the lower end of the lowermost packing ring 21. The width or transverse dimension of the chamber C is substantially equal to the difference in the effective diameters of the sealing rings 21 and the plunger section 25. The length of the chamber C constantly changes during the operation of the pump.

In accordance with the invention the chamber C is maintained in communication with the interior of the tubular reciprocating plunger I2. The plunger I2 is ported to maintain the chamber C in communication with its interior throughout the entire stroke or movement of the plunger. In the particular construction illustrated in the drawing the adapter 26 has a plurality of ports 33 connecting the chamber C with the interior of the plunger. There may be a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 33 and the ports 33 are staggered or vertically spaced with certain of the ports immediately below the lower end of the lock nut 32 so that the chamber C remains in communication with the interior of the plunger I2 when the plunger reaches the lower end of its down stroke. The purpose of this arrangement and the function of the chamber C will be subsequently described.

The valve I3 is a traveling valve on the lower end of the plunger I2 while the valve I4 is a traveling valve at the upper end of the plunger. The valve I3 may be a typical ball valve including a tubular cage 35 threadedly connected with the lower end of the plunger section 25. An upwardly facing replaceable valve seat 36 is provided in the cage 35 and a ball 31 in the cage is adapted to seal downwardly on the seat 36 to control or prevent a down flow through the plunger. 'I'he valve I4 may comprise a suitable cage 38 threaded on the upper end of the member 30. The interior of the valve cage 38 is adapted to communicate with the interior of the plunger I2 and is ported to communicate with the interior of the barrel I0 and the tubing T. 'I'he cage 38 clamps a replaceable valve seat 39 against the upper end of the member 30 and Va ball 40 is provided in the cage 38 to seal downkwardly againstvth'e seat 39. The valve cage 38 is raised to remove the pump from the well. It`

is to be noted that the valves I3 and I4 in addition to performing the usual functions of inlet and lifting valves, respectively, operate as inlet and discharge valves, respectively, for the chamber C.

In operation when the plunger I2 is moving upwardly the valve I4 is closed whereby the plunger lifts the column of uid in the tubing T. The standing valve II opens during upward movement of the plunger I2 to admit fluid from the well to the interior of the barrel I0 between the valve II and the Valve I3 which portion of the barrel increases in volume with the upward movement of the plunger. In actual practice the motion of the plunger I2 at the start of its upward stroke is quite slow and the increase in volume within the pumpy barrel Ill and within the annular chamber C is small. There is a certain amount of leakage of uid past the sealing zones A and B and during the initial portion of the upward movement of the plunger I2 this rleakage will be at a, rate greater than the increase in volume of the annular chamber C. 'Ihe excess liquid thus admitted to the chamber C cannot escape upwardly past the valve I4 l and cannot escape to the interior of the plunger I2 which is already full of fiuid and, therefore, tends to increase the pressure at the ports 33 and within the plunger between the valves I3 and I4. This increase in pressure within the plunger I2 serves to close the lower traveling valvev I3 and the excess fluid admitted to the chamber C due to leakage past the sealing Zone A leaks through the sealing zone B to the main pump chamber of the barrel I Il below the valve I3. At this time both the sealing zones A and B are in operation and the leakage fluid entering past the zone A supplies suicient fluid to keep the annular chamber C filled during the slow motion period of the plunger. As the plunger I2 approaches its mid-stroke position the annular chamber C increases in volume at a greater rate of leakage of fluid past the sealing Zone A resulting in a marked reduction of the pressure in the chamber C and the interior of the plunger I2 between the valves I2 and I4. This reduction in pressure causes the lower traveling valve I3 to open and admit fluid from the well to keep the interior of the plunger I2 and the chamber C filled. This gives an increased economy. As the plunger I2 moves upwardly from its mid-stroke position toward the upper end of its stroke the rate of increase of the volume of the chamber C decreases until the leakage of fluid past the upper sealing zone A is again sufficient to keep the chamber filled and the lower sealing Zone B again comes into operation and remains in operation until the upward stroke is ended.

During the downward stroke of the plunger I2 the valve II is closedv and the pump plunger settles downwardly through the liquid trapped below it. During the downward movement of the plunger the chamber C decreases in volume. This decrease in volume of the chamber C results inthe displacement of iluidfrom'the chamber C through theports 33 into the interior Vof the plunger I2.V The iiuid thus discharged into the chamber within the plunger l2 causes opening of the valve 'i4 and an upward flow of fluid through the valve. Accordingly, the pump is double acting serving to lift the column of uid in the tubing T during the up stroke of the plunger l2 and causing an upward displacement of fluid from the chamber C into the tubing T during the down stroke of the plunger. The substantially continuous discharge thus provided prevents the undesirable accumulation of sand and silt at the upper end of the barrel l0 and around the top lock. The displacement of fluid from the chamber C continues throughout the down stroke of the plunger assuring a complete discharge or evacuation of all iiuid from the chamber. The uppermost ports 33 remain in communication withthev chamber C to the end of the down stroke of the plunger i 2 to assure the complete displacement of fiuid from the chamber. Accordingly, any sand or silt that may have entered the chamber C past the sealing Zone A is discharged into the plunger I2 to be removed with the main body of iiuid. This displacement of the sand and silt from the chamber C prevents the sand and silt from reaching the sealing zone B so that the said sealing zone is long wearing.

Considering the improved pump of the present invention just described, particularly with relation to the functioning of its parts, it will beV observed that the pump comprises three elements, namely, the primary seal Zone A through which the slip-page or leakage must originate, the -annular space or chamber C in which the silt from the primary seal or zone A is received and which is ported to be cleaned or washed during each stroke of the plunger Il and the secondary seal or sealing zone B below the chamber C. As described above the sealing zone B acts during the dwell and slow motion periods at the ends ofthe plunger stroke, the extent or time of such action depending on the volume of the annular chamber C, because if the rate of increase in the volume of the chamber C during the stroke is always less than the natural slippage or leakage past both the sealing zones A and B then the secondary or lower sealing zone B will never be out of action. However, this reduction in the volume of the chamber C also reduces the volume of the cleansing flow through the chamber during the up stroke of the plunger Il and it becomes desirable to increase' this iiow either by a natural washing action past the ports of the chamber C as the plunger rops through the fluid on its downward stroke, or by the employment of a Venturi type passage in the plunger at the inner ends of the chamber ports, producing a more positiveV washing -action during the down stroke of the plunger.

In actual practice the volume of the chamber C will probably be determined by the tube sizes which the manufacturer has in stock, and inthe case of the usual pump speeds the chamber C formed as described above will have a substantial volume by reason of the difference in the diameters of the barrel and plunger and will give very satisfactory results. However, where low pump speeds are desirable it is preferred to make the chamber C of smaller volume. To accomplish this the cylinder diameter may be reduced, as desired, until nally the effective diameters of both the sealing zones of the pump are equal, in which case the silt trapping chamber will be wholly within vthe confines of the plunger and will'haveitsouter sideor periphery'closed by the surrounding barrel. In such a Vstructure where the silt receiving chamber is wholly within the confines of the plunger the` pump embodies the same principal elements, as the pump described above, namely, the barrel and plunger providing the vertically spaced primary and secondary sealing Zones, the annular chamber between the Zones for receiving the silt'from the primary sealing zone, the Vents for the annular chamber, and the valves' on the 'plunger above and below the vents. My co-pending application, Serial No. 231,878, filed as a continuation in part of the present application, describes and claims a well pump of the character referred to in the foregoing paragraph, that is, a well pump in which the barrel and plunger are both of uniform diameter and a chamber is provided in the periphery of the plunger to temporarily receive the'solid matter for removal by the fluid ow.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application ofmy invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims. f

`Having Vdescribed myinventon, I claim:

l. A well pump comprising, a barrel having its upperportion of greater diameter than its lower portion, a standing valve at the lower end of the barrel, a tubular plunger reciprocable in the barrel and-having its upper portion of greater diameter than itsy lower portion, the respective upper and lower portions of the barrel and plunger having sealing cooperation whereby the barrel and plunger enclose an annular chamber between the zones of'saidsealing cooperation, the plunger havinga port connecting said chamber with the interior` ofthe plunger, and traveling valves carried by the plunger above and below said port.

2. A well pump comprising a barrel having an upper portion and a lower portion of less inter- 'nal diameter than the upper portion, a tubular plunger in the barrel having an upper portion in sealing relation to the upper portion of the barrel and having a lower portion of less external diameter in sealing relation to the said lower portion of the'barrel, the barrel and plunger defining an annular iiuid chamber between their zones of sealing cooperation, the plunger having a port placing said chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, a standing valve for the lower end of the barrel, Vand downwardly closing traveling valves carried by the plunger at opposite sides of said port.

3'. A well pump for use on a well tubing comprising a barrel having an'upper portion and a lower` portion of less internal diameter than the upper portion, a reciprocable tubular plunger in the barrel having an upper portion and a lower portion of less external diameter than its upper portion, the barrel land plunger dening'an annular chamber with their upper and lower portions in sealing cooperation at the upper and lower ends of the said chamber, the plunger havinga port maintaining the chamber in communication with the interior ofthe plunger, a

standing valve for the lower end 'of the barrel,`

traveling Valves on the plunger above and below said port, and means suspending the upper end ofthe barrel from the tubing.

4. A well pump for use on a Well tubing comprising a barrel, the upper portion of the barrel being of vgreater diameter than Vthe lower portion chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, a standing valve at the lower end of the barrel, and traveling valves on the plunger above and below said port.

5. A well pump for use on a well tubing comprising a barrel, means removably suspending the upper end of the barrel from the tubing, a tubular plunger reciprocable in the barrel, the upper portions of the barrel and plunger being of greater diameter than the lower portions of the barrel and plunger whereby the barrel and plunger enclose an annular fluid chamber, 'the barrel and plunger having sliding sealing cooperation below Yan said chamber metal to metal, sealing means providing long effective sealing cooperation between the plunger and barrel above said chamber with slight tolerance, the plunger having a port below and adjacent to said sealing means placing the upper end of said chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, a standing valve at the lower endr of the barrel, and traveling valves on the plunger above and below said port.

6. A well pump comprising a standing barrel including an upper tube and a lower tube of less internal diameter than the upper tube detachably connected with the upper tube, a standing valve on the lower end of the barrel, a tubular plunger reciprocable in the barrel including an upper section in sliding sealing relation to the upper tube of the barrel, and a tube of less ex- 'ternal diameter than the said upper section and plunger having a port maintaining the chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, and traveling valves on the plunger above and y below saidA port.

7. A well pump comprising a standing barrel including, an upper tube and a lower tube of less internal diameter than the upper tube detachably connected with the upper tube, a standing valve on the lower end of the barrel, a tubular plunger reciprocable in the barrel including an upper section, sealing means on said upper section in sliding sealing relation to the upper tube of the barrel, and a tube of less external diameter than the said upper section and detachably secured to said upper section, the tube of the plunger having a sealing sliding t in the lower tube of the barrel, the barrel and plunger dening an annular chamber spacing the zone of sealing cooperation of the said sealing means and upper tube of the barrel from the zone of sealing cooperation of the said lower tube of the barrel and the tube of the plunger, the plunger having a port maintaining the chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, and traveling valves on the plunger above and below said port.

8. A well pump comprising a standing barrel including an upper tube and a lower tube of less internal diameter than the upper tube detachably connected with the upper tube, a standing valve on the lower end of the barrel, a tubular plunger reciprocable in the barrel including an upper tube section, sealing rings on the upper tube section in sliding sealing relation to the upper tube of the barrel, and a tube of less external diameter than the said upper section and detachably secured to said upper section, the tube of the plunger having a sliding sealing t in the lower tube of the barrel, the barrel and plunger dening an annular chamber spacing the zone of sealing cooperation of the said sealing rings and upper tube of the barrel from the zone of sealing cooperation of the said lower tube of the barrel and the tube of the plunger, the plunger having a port maintaining the chamber in communication with the interior of the plunger, and traveling valves on the plunger above and below said port.

EDWARD T. ADAMS. 

